Sugar Rush: The Forgotten King
by sirenux
Summary: A prequel to the Wreck-It Ralph movie. This is a complete backstory as to how Turbo came to power in Sugar Rush. It begins before the reign of King Candy, and brings to light the forgotten sacrifice of a man who was not only a good king, but a loving father. FYI: the king mentioned in this story is NOT King Candy, but Vanellope's father.
1. Prologue - A Father's Sacrifice

Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-B-A-START

He searched and searched as he entered the dark room that housed the code of his world. It amazed him how eerily beautiful the bluish-purple glow contrasted with the darkness. It also made him happy to see that everything in his world was connected to something else and that nothing was ever alone.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he found what he was looking for and carried a brown, treasure-like chest towards it. "I wish I could always be there for you..."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a heart-shaped necklace. The constant reminder of what meant the most precious to him in the whole wide world. He remembered how furious he was when he walked in on the enormous mess she had made in the kitchen, but when she showed him the fruits of her mischief, with her large, beaming eyes, outstretched arms, and ridiculous smile... it all melted away. He couldn't help but start laughing at all the icing smeared on her clothes and the candy sprinkles in her hair. Man, those candy sprinkles... it seemed no matter how many times he tried to clean them out, they would always end up back in her hair!

A surge of pain snapped him out of his memory when a red glow started resonating from his chest as his code began to glitch. The virus was burning him from the inside. He didn't have much time.

Another surge of pain, more twisting than the last, gripped his infected heart, making him drop his most cherished possession.

His arms began to tremble as he raised the chest to what he was searching for. The chest wide open, its mouth ready to devour whatever it was in front, did not shut, but shook. His arms were trembling uncontrollably, silent tears fell down his features. "Please stay safe… I love you… Vanellope."

In one fell swoop, the chest shut, imprisoning everything that he was in his world. The program in the chest began its execution. His spirit left him. He had nothing left. He could feel the change update in the game. And when the program terminated, he was gone.

The candy necklace slowly drifted away from the warmth of the light and into the darkness. Sugar Rush never knew it once had a king.


	2. Chapter 1 - A King and his Daughter

It was a beautiful, warm, and sunny day. The arcade was closed for the holidays, meaning all of the games had a day off. The king of Sugar Rush never felt more content sleeping the day away in his big, warm sponge cake bed.

Gamers were coming in more frequently these days, and Sugar Rush was becoming an increasingly popular game. He was hosting more races than he could count, and more racing requests still kept coming in. The worst was when Mr. Litwak one day decided to delay closing time for another 3 hours, because of the enormous amount of business he was having. The king of Sugar Rush was not amused.

"Oh my God Litwak, if I could, I would throw you in Nesquick Sand!" The king thoroughly enjoyed that amusing thought. Of course, he would never do such a thing.

Mr. Litwak was a good man and took care of the arcade pretty well. That Fix It Felix Jr. game has been here for almost 30 years, and it still works as if it just got plugged-in yesterday. Well, aside from all the gaming craziness, it was nice to finally get some time to relax.

Unbeknownst to him, a mischievous little thing was slowly tiptoeing her way to his bedroom door. She opened the gingerbread door slowly, making sure not to wake up her unexpected father.

"Coast is clear", she whispered to herself, letting out an evil grin.

She slowly crawled her way in, sneaking closer and closer like a lioness stalking her prey. The closer she crept, the harder it was to hold in her snickering. The look on her father's face was going to be priceless!

When she reached the bed, she looked to the side to see her father's exhausted form slowly rise and fall under the candy wrapper bed sheets. She climbed the candy cane bed frame that enclosed her father's sponge cake bed. When she finally reached the top, she was standing over her father's sleeping form.

"There's only one thing you could do at a time like this … CANNONBALL!" The little princess leapt into the air, curled into a ball, and soared straight into her victim's stomach!

The king's eyes shot open. "SWEET MOTHER OF MONKEY MILK!" the king yelped in shock.

Vanellope fell onto the bed laughing hysterically at her father's reaction. His face was as red as a cherry jolly rancher! "I can't breathe… I can't breathe..." Vanellope let out in between fits of laughter.

It took a moment for the king to finally recollect himself from his surprise attack, but once he did, "...Vanellope!"

Her laughter finally settling down, Vanellope conjured up the best cute-innocent look she could muster and replied, "Yes Dada?"

The king did not smile. "This is unacceptable behavior coming from you! You are my daughter and a princess of Sugar Rush! This cannot go unpunished", the king said sternly.

Vanellope's smile began to falter. Was he really that mad?

"As punishment, I sentence you to 5 minutes with …", the king's stern look suddenly melted into an evil grin, "… the tickle monster!" The king leapt onto his unexpected victim and began his merciless tickle attack.

Vanellope couldn't escape! Before she knew it, her uncontrollable fits of laughter came back with a vengeance. "HAHAHA - Dad stop! - AHAHAHA- I wasn't ready! -HAHAHA- That's not fair! You cheate-HAHAAHA!"

Vanellope's father was the only one that could ever pull a fast one on her. That's probably why she enjoyed pranking him so much. She always loved seeing how he would retaliate against her silly, albeit extreme, pranks. By the end of their tickle wars, they both collapsed on the bed, exhausted from all the fits of laughter.

The king and his daughter spent the rest of their day together. They did everything from climbing candy cane trees in the candy cane forest to having one-on-one races on Sugar Rush's main racetrack. Finishing off the last race of the day, the king and the princess were heading straight for the finish line. The crowd that quickly formed, seeing that their king was racing, roared with cheer as the two racers bolted forward neck-in-neck.

The king's hand was on the throttle, ready to take the final step. But looking at the little girl beside him, the sheer spirit ignited in her eyes, he felt some things were more important than winning. Vanellope broke ahead and with a millisecond to spare, shot through the red and white checkered finish line. The crowd went wild that their princess had won! Vanellope jumped out of her cart and was blowing kisses to her adoring fans.

The king shook his head in amusement and headed towards the adorable winner. "Looks like you finally got lucky", the king said amusingly.

"Luck had nothing to do with it! You just couldn't keep up with my raw, unstoppable talent!" the little winner replied energetically, blowing a raspberry at her competitor.

The king couldn't help, but laugh at that response. She was becoming so obnoxious lately, but in a way, it was starting to become infectious. The king could see a lot of a certain woman in Vanellope. The love of his life. She would have been proud to see how strong her daughter was becoming.

"Hellooooo? Is Dad in there? I'd like to speak to him please!" Vannelope interrupted with her wide, toothy grin.

The king shook himself from his moment of nostalgia, and smiled at his little girl. "Come here you!" the king said, sweeping the unexpected bundle of talent off her feet and onto his shoulders.

"Heyy!" Vanellope squealed, not expecting the sudden scoop of affection.

The king walked along the racetrack with his bundle of joy on his shoulders, showing her off to everyone in the crowd. "Give it up once more for Princess Vannelope!"

The crowd roared louder than they did before, cheering for Sugar Rush's warm and gooey center. The candy audience jumped up and down in their stands with joy. "You know I hate it when you call me princess, right?" Vanellope whispered to her dad.

The king smiled, simply taking in the happiness he felt at that moment. Sometimes he wondered how he could ever be so lucky. "I know."

Not too far away, unknown to the inhabitants of Sugar Rush, a little man was watching silently. His pale, dry lips curled into a smile. A plan most terrifying was beginning to form.


	3. Chapter 2 - Mother's Day

_9 years ago_

The skies were somber in the land of Sugar Rush. The inhabitants of the candy utopia stood outside the castle walls, silently praying for the wellbeing of the sweetest gem in the land. The queen rested in her sponge cake bed with the king at her side.

"P-Please don't leave me", the king began to cry, tears sliding down his mournful face.

She looked at him with her bright hazel eyes. She didn't have to use words. The depth of her gaze told the king how much she truly loved him. He wanted to spend the rest of eternity in the depths of her warm gaze, but like all things in life, it had come to an end.

As graceful as cotton candy flowing in the breeze, her eyes peacefully closed. Her breathing became still. The king began to tremble at the inevitable truth. The hand he held so fiercely gave way to her eternal slumber.

The skies showered the valley with chocolate tears. No races were held that day.

* * *

_Present Time_

It was a bright and sunny day in the land of Sugar Rush. Everybody was out in the valley enjoying the clear blue skies and warm summer breeze. The weather couldn't have been better for the occasion. It was Mother's Day.

Little candy treats skipped happily alongside their mothers as they enjoyed the festivities held in the palace. The racetrack was being used to host mini go-kart competitions. The candy cane trees were being used for hanging pinatas. There was even rock candy climbing! It was a joyous occasion in the Sugar Rush kingdom. One the candy king couldn't have been more proud of.

Inside the castle, the king and his daughter raced to the top of the highest tower in a bet to see who would get the first pick of activities for the day. Unlike the one-on-one race they had recently, the king had no intention of giving up his first pick to that little runt. They both scrambled their way up the stairs that spiraled up the tower, tripping and shoving each other as they went.

"That's not fair! You're bigger than me!" Vanellope complained as she tried to grab hold of her father's leg.

"Oh stop whining you baby … and let go of my leg!"

"Never!" Vanellope retorted with a spirited grin.

The king began hopping his way on one leg up the stairs while trying to shake off the little parasite at the same time. By the time they were almost up at the top, the king's hopping leg throbbed in exhaustion.

Seeing this opportune moment of weakness, Vanellope finally jumped off and bolted to the top.

"Hey! Now THAT'S cheating!" the king complained, now hopping on his other leg to reach the top of the tower.

"Oh stop whining, you big baby! Oh wait, what's that sound?" Vanellope said playfully, putting a hand to her ear. "I think someone's saying IN YOUR FACE! HAHAHA!" Vanellope laughed obnoxiously, slapping her knee.

The king gave her his best I-am-not-amused look as he finally reached the top of the stairs.

"Took you long enough. Any longer and I would have DIED from WAITING!" Vannelope teased.

The king couldn't believe it. He was being upstaged by his own daughter. "Man, when did I become so pathetic?" he amusingly thought to himself. "Alright alright, don't get yourself too carried away or you'll wet yourself again."

"Hey! I didn't wet myself! I just ACCIDENTALLY spilled my juice that one time!" Vanellope retorted, her face growing red from embarrassment.

The king simply laughed at how adorable his little girl could be sometimes when she gets all flustered. He walked towards the window to get a better view of the kingdom. It was truly a sight to behold. Everything from the candy cane forest to Diet Cola Mountain could be seen. All the happy villagers could be spotted being dragged by their little bundles of joy as they excitedly hurried to the next activity.

"If only you could see this", the king whispered with a smile.

Vanellope joined her father's side and looked over excitedly at the festivities in the kingdom.

"Well pipsqueak, you won. You get the first pick", the king simply stated.

Vanellope looked out the window, scrunching her face in the deepest of thought. She scanned from mini-game to mini-game, trying to find the one she could beat her Dad the easiest in. But the more she kept looking, the more she began to notice all the little candy kids skipping happily hand-in-hand with their mothers.

For a moment, the tower was silent as both of them thought quietly about the one person this day was meant for.

"Daddy", Vanellope said, breaking the silence.

Her father looked down at her, a little surprised at the sudden gentleness of her voice. "C-Can you tell me what Mom was like?"

In that moment, she wasn't the hyperactive girl with an ego as impenetrable as a jawbreaker. She was a little girl who yearned for her mother's love. A yearning the king sadly knew would never be fulfilled. The king understood this was a touchy subject, and had to think carefully about what he should say.

"Your mother..." he began with an amusing smile, "… was the biggest pain in the rear I had ever met! She'd never stopped talking about what a great racer she was going to be and how much of a wimp I was for being afraid of gummy spiders!"

Vanellope made a mental note to catch some gummy spiders the next time she visited the candy cane forest.

"I remember this one time, we almost drowned in chocolate milk mix. And to get out, she had to smack me repeatedly in the face until the laughing taffy were close enough for us to grab onto and escape! My face was swollen for weeks!" the king continued in amused frustration, a smile on his lips.

Vanellope began to giggle at the thought of how much her mother probably enjoyed that little adventure. That must've been hilarious!

Silence filled the room again.

The king continued looking over the joyful palace. His shoulders drooped a little, and his eyes began to glisten. "Your mother was the most beautiful person I had ever met", he said sincerely. "When I was a boy, my parents would always keep me locked away inside the castle. They always kept pushing me to give up my dreams of racing and to just follow my code. Royalty was designed to host races, not partake in them. But with your mother by my side, I felt like I could do anything. I felt like I could be the greatest king in the world." The king looked at Vanellope, who was now looking back with eyes that yearned to know more. "She showed me the beauty of Sugar Rush and what it felt like to have a friend to share that with. I am a better king because of it. I've never felt more connected with my kingdom in all my life. She was my best friend."

For the first time in a long time, Vanellope didn't know what to say. They didn't talk about mother very much, and her father always seemed so carefree. Well, except for the times she had done something really, really naughty.

She remembered this one time she thought it would be funny to draw moustaches on all the family portraits of her and her father with permanent chocolate icing. Man, was he furious! They had to sit down together and model every portrait she vandalized with the icing painters. Her face never felt so sore from smiling! Snapping out of her brief moment of mischievous nostalgia, she couldn't recall ever witnessing this side of her father before.

Her father began to smile. "You know, you remind me a lot about your mother," he said, speculating the now beaming ball of mischief.

"Really?" Vanellope asked, her eyes beaming.

"Mhmm. She was very beautiful, like you. She was a loudmouth, like YOU."

Vanellope couldn't help, but giggle at that.

"She was strong spirited, like you." The king paused, taking in the genuine feelings of the words he had to say next. "And she meant more to me than anything in the whole wide world," the king said softly, looking at his little girl with a father's love, "like you."

Vanellope felt a lump in her throat and knew what was about to come. She leapt onto her father, embracing him in a tight hug. "F-For the record, you are the gr-greatest king in the w-world" Vanellope whispered, trying to hold back her tears.

Her father returned her warm embrace, "I would've been better if you weren't such a pain the rear," he gently teased, snickering loud enough for Vanellope to hear.

"H-Hey! I was being nice here!" Vanellope retorted, getting all flustered again.

"Well, we could sit here and argue all day..." the king paused, looking at his daughter with a mischievous grin. "... or we could go out and play mini-games! First one downstairs gets first pick!" The king ran straight for the door and started bolting his way down the stairs.

"Wha-Hey! Wait a minute!" Vanellope yelled as she rushed after him. "It doesn't count when you're cheating!"

The king's joyful and teasing laugh could be heard echoing up the stairs along with Vanellope's frequent outbursts of frustration.

The palace festivities were a blast! They did almost everything they could think of together from building ice cream sandwiches to squirting each other with chocolate milk guns. They also watched the annual Mother's Day Candy Parade, which was Vanellope's favorite part of the celebration. She was on her father's shoulders so she could see of course. She was way too short to see over the huge crowds of candy families that had gathered for the occasion.

Mesmerized by the parade, no one noticed that a little cookie boy was wandering aimlessly around the area. He just came back from the little cookie's room, and his father said he'd be waiting right outside. The little cookie scratched his head in confusion and continued searching for his missing father.

Not too far away, a hidden pair of yellow stained eyes glared at the celebration. He licked his pale, dry lips, barely able to hold in his boisterous excitement. Muffled sounds and struggling could be heard from the side.

"HooHoo! It's all coming to plan!" the pale man clapped with glee, a maniac grin spreading across his pale, hollow face.


	4. Chapter 3 - The Rise of Turbo

_20 years ago_

"Son", the king said, looking sternly down at his son.

"Yes father?" the prince replied politely.

"You are almost of age and will soon be crowned king. It is time that I reveal to you the greatest secret of our royal family." the king said, his voice deep and empowering.

The boy looked up at his father with a confused look, but nodded in blind understanding. It had always been difficult talking with his father. He was always so serious, and came on overwhelmingly strong. It kind of scared him to be honest. Of course, that didn't hide the fact that he was a great king. Everybody in Sugar Rush had a tremendous amount of respect for him, but couldn't he just have a little fun once in a while? The young prince shook his head, knowing that it would be nothing more than a fantasy, and began following his father.

They walked from corridor to corridor, entering deeper into the heart of the castle. The halls became darker and darker. As they passed, torches began to light up, illuminating the walls with dancing flames. A high-tech-looking door, to the little prince's amusement, stood in their way. The prince was shaking with excitement, anxious to see what lied ahead. As the two approached, the door automatically opened, as if expecting their presence.

The prince looked around in wonder at the room beyond. The ceiling and walls connected together, curving over the entire room. It felt like they were in a giant cylinder! Tubes of difference sizes stretched across the sides of the walls, emitting a soft light blue glow. Taking a closer look, white lights could be seen zipping away inside these tubes, going back and forth as they pleased. A buzzing noise echoed around the circular walls.

"Wow" was all the prince could say. "So this must be what it's like to be in a space game."

The king cleared his throat, a subtle message that the little prince learned over time to mean, "Pay attention!"

What the prince saw at the end of the room surprised him. It looked like one of those horrible game controllers that allowed gamers to play from home. "I hope that doesn't catch on", the naive prince whispered to himself.

The king cleared his throat again, louder this time. The prince knew better than to test the limits of his father's patience a third time, and looked up at his mighty king.

"Beyond this gate lies the life of Sugar Rush", the king said proudly, looking down at his intrigued son.

Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-B-A-START

* * *

_Present Time_

It was a difficult time in Sugar Rush. Panic spread across the candy covered streets as one after another, candy people started disappearing.

The king called for an immediate lockdown in the entire kingdom. "No one is to leave their homes!" barked the worried king.

Sour Bill clumsily scribbled down the king's commands, sensing his frustration.

"Have the Oreo guards go door to door and keep attendance on all those in their homes. If civilians are to go outside, they MUST go in at least groups of two. No one is to be wandering alone!"

Sour Bill nodded quickly, hurriedly writing down the king's commands.

The king started pacing back and forth, fuming at what was happening to his innocent subjects. "Someone is playing games with us!" the king roared in anger. "When I find out who this guy is...", the king's hands turned into fists. He was the king of Sugar Rush! The candy people looked up to him for peace and protection. He was not going to let them down.

The Oreo guards were scattered across the kingdom, going door-to-door and taking attendance of all the inhabitants. One of the guards arrived at a familiar house for it belonged to one of his fellow Oreo guards. He was off duty today though, feeling that he needed to be with his family. A little cookie boy opened the door.

"Hey Chip!" the guard greeted with masked cheer. "Were you able to find your daddy okay after the parade?"

The little cookie nodded as his father appeared behind him. "Chip! Even if it's someone you know, I don't want you opening the door! It's dangerous right now!" the larger Oreo scolded.

The little cookie nodded in disappointment and shuffled back inside.

"My friend, what do I owe the pleasure?" the father Oreo asked.

"Just hear to take attendance. Is your wife in their with you as well?"

"Yes she is", the father simply replied.

"Well, all the things are in order then. Stay safe." and with that, the guard walked off, moving on to the next home.

The next few days felt cold in Sugar Rush. The streets were no longer filled with joy and sweetness, but with fear and despair. Investigations had been made at the scenes of the disappearances, but no evidence could be recovered. Even the devil dogs couldn't pick up a scent. To the king's despair, Sugar Rush was not designed with advanced tracking techniques or technology to able to properly investigate the crimes. He could only do the best with what he had.

Vanellope was prancing along as the king was talking to Sour Bill. "Have an Oreo guard stand by at each intersection during the night shift. The civilians need to know that they can sleep soundly at night".

Sour Bill continued scribbling down on his parchment.

"Hey Daddio!" Vanellope chirped cheerfully.

"Not now honey, Daddy's busy", the king replied politely.

"Well, you can stay here and be a stick in the chocolate, but I'm heading out with one of the guards to do a bit of racing on the track! Late-"

"No, you're not", her father interjected calmly.

"What?" Vanellope asked in surprise, the smile slipping away from her face.

"I don't want you leaving the castle at a time like this", the king replied patiently, still looking away in thought.

"But you said as along as we go out in groups of at least two, it'd be okay!" Vanellope retorted, frustration rising in her cheeks.

The king knew she wasn't going to like this, but now was not the time to give in. The king knelt down on the floor and looked at his little girl, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "Vanellope, there is danger in Sugar Rush. Candy people are missing. And we don't even know who's doing it. It could be anyone!" the king tried to explain.

Vanellope knew where this was going and she didn't like it one bit. Her brows began to furrow as her temper started rising again.

"Don't you see? It's not safe out there, especially for you. You're a prince-"

"Well maybe I don't wanna be a princess anymore!" Vanellope interrupted angrily, shaking off her father's arms.

"You don't have a choice! I'm doing this for your own good!" the king shot back, rising back up again.

Vanellope couldn't believe this injustice! Racing was her dream! How could her own father keep her from it?"Mom would've let me go! She'd never let anything get in the way of her racing!" Vanellope cried, her breathing faster.

"You're mother isn't here!" the king cried back, his voice echoing in the cavities of the room.

"Well maybe I wish Mom was here instead of YOU!" Vanellope cried back in sorrow.

The room went stark silent. The candy workers turned their heads in disbelief. All eyes were on them. Her chest began to tremble as tears blurred her vision. Whimpers could be heard as Vanellope ran off back into her room.

With the sun beginning to set, the skies were ignited in a mixed pattern of orange and blood red. The king was walking around the hillside a short distance away from the castle with one of his Oreo guards, hoping he would miraculously find a clue to end this ridiculous charade.

"Sire, I think I found something!" the Oreo guard alerted the king, pointing his dark chocolate spear over to a patch of sugarplums.

Nestled between two of the sugarplums shone something pearly white. The Oreo guard headed towards the patch, placed his spear gently on the ground, and used both hands to pull out the mysterious artifact. Freeing the item from its tasty prison, the guard was holding something alien, but all too familiar to the king.

The king's eyes widened in confusion and shock. There in the hands of the Oreo guard was a large white helmet with a red 'T' that streaked down its center. The king walked towards the guard, his eyes locked on the helmet. The dark cookie handed the hard-shelled artifact to his king. A million questions were running through his mind at once. There was only one person who owned such headgear, but he was shut down after going rogue and sabotaging two games.

The king, occupied with the mysteries of the misplaced artifact, failed to notice the Oreo guard silently watching him, tightly gripping his spear.

Vanellope stared sadly at the ceiling, silently reminiscing to herself of the earlier events that had happened between her and her father. "Well maybe I wish Mom was hear instead of YOU!" echoed inside her head. She could still see the heartbroken look on his face. She didn't mean to hurt him like that.

"I know! I'll make him an apology drawing! He always loves my drawings!" Vanellope said to herself cheerfully.

She grabbed a piece of paper and a few coloring utensils, quickly setting off to create her next masterpiece. "A work of art like this must be signed", she said proudly, smiling to herself.

Duncan and Wynnchel were on guard duty and were scanning an area of the kingdom with their devil dogs.

"Man, when do you think this whole thing's going to blow over Wynn?" Duncan asked his tall, pastry companion.

"Dunno Duncan, we've never had something like this happen to us before. It's hard to believe that the Mother's Day Candy Parade just happened not too long ago around here. Everything seemed so much happier and carefree," the elongated pastry said, swinging around his large baton.

To the sudden surprise of the pastry officers, the devil dogs began barking energetically as they picked up a scent. Duncan and Wynnchel confusedly looked at each other as the pastry canines bolted, pulling their unprepared owners with them towards a patch of cotton candy bushes. The devil dogs stood their ground, barking wildly at what hid beneath the patch's pink and fluffy exterior.

"Cover me", Wynnchel told Duncan as he moved cautiously to the bushes. Slowly moving a branch to the side, his baton ready in hand, Wynnchel was not prepared for what he would see. "Civilian!" he yelled in alert, rushing in to help the tied up Oreo.

Duncan entered the bushes as well and together quickly freed the cookie from his twizzler binds. The Oreo laid weakly still. He was very malnourished. Duncan took out a bottle of milk and offered it to the cookie. The Oreo took it without hesitation and drank it greedily. You could tell he was lying in the bushes for a long time. The white icing sandwiched between his hard chocolate exterior had become so thin.

"Don't worry friend, help is on the way and-" The Oreo cookie silenced Wynnchel with a shaking hand.

"W-We must warn the king… He's back! … And he's after Sugar Rush!" the cookie croaked in fear.

"Who? Who's after Sugar Rush?" Wynnchel asked in focused anticipation.

"Tur… Tur…" the Oreo cookie whispered weakly. His body was beginning to fail him. He had no energy left. Darkness began surrounding his vision as he lost consciousness.

Vanellope ran down to the main hall, drawing in hand, anxious to see her father's stupid, happy face again! She looked and looked, but her father was nowhere to be found.

The large windows, giving the perfect view of the hillside, illuminated the castle walls with the warm hues of the sky. A large silhouette could be seen alongside the walls. Vanellope smiled at the realization that it was her father's, but her smile quickly turned to fear as her eyes began slowly moving their way over a line protruding from his chest. The silhouette began to fall.

Vanellope swung around, and hurried to the window, hoping that it was just her head playing tricks. As she looked into the distance, time suddenly stopped. The beating of her heart was all that could be heard. Her father had been speared by his own Oreo guard. "DADDY!"

The king gripped the rippling ridges of the traitorous Oreo guard. A surge of pain lashed at his heart as his code began to pixelate, emitting a blood red glow.

"It's begun," the Oreo said with joy, beginning to giggle.

The surge travelling through the king's body transmitted itself into the struggling cookie guard through the king's gripping hand. With a jolt, the dark cookie began to crumble and retook the form of another. A little man with eyes stained yellow, skin as white as salt, and a face that shouted murderous intent.

The king's eyes widened in shock, "Y-You're alive …" he whispered in disbelief.

"Why of course!" the impostor gleefully responded in his flamboyant tone.

The spear had tremendously weakened his body. He was losing his grip.

"Too bad I can't say the same for you though! Tata!" the white devil mocked. With a small tug, he pulled away from the fallen king's grip and began his happy skip away. Before getting very far, he suddenly stopped and began skipping back towards the king. "By the way, thanks for helping me find this kingy!" the little man mocked as he grabbed his helmet back from the king's numbing hands, brushing away at the dust. "I swear, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I lost this thing. I wonder if I could find another one of these in salmon…" the man thought loudly to himself, putting on his helmet. "Oh well."

Vanellope ran to the nearest Oreo guards she could find in the castle. "Help! Somebody please help!" she cried, tearing flowing down her soft features.

The guards quickly made there way to the distraught, little princess.

"What's wrong your highness?" one of the guards asked in bewildered concern.

"My Dad! He's been stabbed! We need to save him now!" she cried.

"The king!?" both guards yelled at once in shock.

"He's at the hillside! We need to go now!" the little princess panicked.

"Take the princess over to her father! I'll call for backup!" one of the Oreo guards ordered.

The other guard nodded in agreement and the group went their separate ways.

"Take a long look around you kingy", the little man motioned his hand over the candy lands. "It will be your last." And with that, he took his leave.

The king wanted to grab him, but he was badly wounded. He was beginning to lose consciousness.

Vanellope ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, the Oreo guard following closely behind. The last words she said to her father, "Well maybe I wish Mom was here instead of YOU!", echoed at her breaking heart. Tears blurred her vision as the man she cared for the most in the whole, wide world fell silently to the ground.


	5. Author's Note

Hi Everyone!

I'd first like to say thank you all so much for reading my story! Especially Bandling45, I always look forward to seeing your reaction to each chapter! From the criticism I've seen so far, I tried my best to incorporate them into the areas of the story that I thought made sense.

This is my first fanfic ever, so I'm still learning how all this works. haha

Unfortunately, the next chapter will not be coming in for a while. I'm in university and final exams are coming. If you liked the story so far, please follow it! That way, you can be updated when the next chapter is posted.

If you have any ideas or critique about my writing or the story, PLEASE post them! I'm always willing to learn and hear new ideas.

Thanks again for all your support!


	6. Chapter 4 - Virus

Vanellope kept running and running. Her whole world was in ruins. Her heart filled with sorrow as the inevitable truth began to surface in her mind. She was going to lose her father. "DADDY!"

The skies were lit with the hue of blood red. It seemed even Sugar Rush knew the tragedy that had taken place upon itself.

The candy people in their homes could hear screams outside and looked out their windows. Horror struck their features as they saw their king lying motionless on the ground. Like moths to a flame, candy people started leaving their homes and raced towards their fallen leader. Fear no longer gripped their hearts, but love. Love for their king and the desire to protect one of their own.

Upon the land, the citizen of Sugar Rush stood together united, all for the sake of their king.

Vanellope lay quivering by her father's side. Her head buried in his neck. Her small, trembling hands fiercely held onto his. "P-please no. Don't leave me", she cried silently. Her words fell on deaf ears.

Days passed in the candy-coated lands of Sugar Rush. It was no longer a land filled with sweet thoughts and happy times, but it wasn't filled with fear either. News quickly spread that it was in fact Turbo that had attacked their king. The candy people of Sugar Rush were no longer willing to cower away as their loved ones were stripped away from this egotistical game jumper. Many started to work together with the Oreo guards to receive basic training and to help patrol the lands to keep the citizens safe.

Among these newfound feelings of unity, hope, and responsibility, one cookie family was about to receive the surprise of their life. After Duncan and Wynnchel had found the Oreo guard tied up in the cotton candy bushes, he was immediately sent to the hospital for recovery. No one was to know of his presence there. The enemy was still unknown at the time and so were their intentions. If they knew of the Oreo guard's whereabouts in his weakened state, he would have been vulnerable to an attack. Only after had he fully recovered and been interrogated on the details of his cookie-napper would he be allowed to go home.

Upon reaching his doorstep, a little cookie boy opened the door and peaked through the crack. His eyes filled with joy and happy tears. "It's daddy. It's really daddy!" The little Oreo ran out of his home and jumped onto his father in a warm embrace.

The recovering Oreo guard was still weak from the recent events that had taken place, but nothing would have stopped him from holding his little boy again. Tears fell from his eyes as he was finally reunited with his son. "I thought I'd never see you again," the father held him close, closing his eyes.

Not a moment sooner, a more slender Oreo stood by the doorway. Her hands closed over her mouth. Tears fell from her chocolate-colored eyes as she hurriedly rushed over to her husband's side. She was sobbing uncontrollably as she laid her head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around the two and pulled them into a tighter hug. He was with his family again. It was truly a sight to behold. Candy people from around the area stopped what they were doing to see the heart-warming view. In the midst of all the chaos, a family had been reunited. Feelings of love and togetherness filled their hearts. This was something worth fighting for.

The king was in the emergency room. A medical staff led by none other than the world renowned Dr. Pepper was given the task of removing the spear from his body and stabilizing his condition.

"It doesn't make sense", the doctor began to ponder. "Why would someone stab the king in his own game when he would simply regenerate?" Dr. Pepper shook his head in confusion as he began walking towards the operating room. Upon entering, the doctor saw the sorry sight of the fallen king. "Don't worry old friend. I won't let you suffer through this alone." His eyes gleamed with determination. He began to work.

Vanellope was sitting quietly in the waiting area. Her world was shaken. So much had happened over the past few hours. Her paranoia started to take form. "What if he d-dies? I'll never see him again." Tears began welling up in her eyes. "I won't even get to say goodbye."

The last words she said to her father pounded guiltily at her heart. "Well maybe I wish Mom was here instead of YOU!" Tears began sliding down her soft features. She closed her eyes as she began to tremble. Her spirit had reached its limits. "P-Please dad don't leave me. I'm sorry I said all those bad things. I didn't mean any of it. Honest! Just p-please, don't go." Her heart was stricken with grief and sorrow. She felt so cold. She felt so alone.

Suddenly, the door from the operating room opened. It was the doctor.

Vanellope jumped from her seat and rushed over to hear the news of her father. "Is he going to be okay?" Vanellope asked anxiously, her big eyes filled with worry.

Dr. Pepper looked somber. He knelt down and rested a hand on her shoulder. Vanellope held her arms close, preparing herself for the worst.

The doctor smiled. "You're father is going to be okay."

Vanellope's eyes widened, her heart pounded with joy. Her hands covered her mouth at the wonderful news. Tears began filling her eyes. He was going to be okay. He was going to be okay! She began to tremble. A smile formed on her quivering lips. Her father was really going to be okay!

Vanellope quietly opened the door. Her father was resting inside.

"I don't think I can handle another cannonball", the king teased, giving his little girl a weak smile.

Vanellope didn't laugh. She didn't smile. She didn't even try to retort with a witty remark. She began walking slowly to her father's bedside. She was shaking, but it wasn't because of the cold. Her chest quivered as she tried to hold back her tears. She looked up to her father in the most worrisome of eyes.

The king could see the vulnerable state she was in and began shuffling over. "Here, come on up," the king said, helping Vanellope crawl up onto the bed.

She could no longer contain herself. She nestled herself closely to her father and began to cry, hiding her face in his chest. She was scared. Scared that the only family she had left was going to be taken away.

The king wrapped his arms around his little girl. His guard began to drop as tears began to fall from his eyes. He held his daughter close. "I thought I'd never see you again."

The room was quiet. Nothing mattered except the warmth of each other's embrace.

The king had heard the news that the citizens of Sugar Rush decided to take it upon themselves to defend the kingdom. Despite the danger they were all putting themselves in, he admired their strength and unity in such times of fear. A small smile began lighting his lips as he realized that Sugar Rush could indeed take care of itself without him. "There's still hope."

The king and his daughter left the hospital hand in hand. As they emerged out into the open, he was surprised with the sweetest of welcomes. Candy people from all over the kingdom were waiting outside for his return. Upon seeing his face, the crowds ignited with cheer and celebration. Candy kids jumped around with glee. Banners were raised in honour of their king. Candy people from all around were waving their hands and cheering with joy. "Long live the king! Long live the king!" It really touched his heart. Even after failing them as their king, they still loved him. He waved to all the happy faces as he wiped a tear that fell from his cheek. They were a kingdom again.

Not too far away, a chocolate chip cookie stood idly by in the midst of the cheer. "Indeed…long live the king". Unbeknownst to all the people, the king was thinking exactly the same thing.

~Not too long ago~

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Pepper asked, quietly shutting the door.

"I feel a lot better thanks to you Pepper" the king smiled.

"Well who else would've done it? I've been mending your wounds since we were small!" the doctor exclaimed proudly.

The king began to chuckle. "Remember that time you had to treat my face after Victoria and I got out of that Nesquick Sand?"

The doctor smiled delightedly. "Oh precious memories. That was the first time I discovered how much fun rubbing alcohol could be."

"Yes. Fun", the king replied sarcastically. He remembered the searing burns he felt when the doctor applied rubbing alcohol to sterilize his wounds. To be honest, he didn't even think he needed it in the first place. The jerk just wanted to see him suffer.

"Trouble always seemed to follow her wherever she went. And you seemed to always get the punishment," the doctor chuckled. His features began to sadden. "I really do miss her. She was always such a warm-hearted character. I just wished I could've done more to help her," the doctor confessed, deeply saddened by the loss of their good friend.

The king could see in the doctor's eyes that he still felt guilty about not being able to restore the queen back to health. He felt as though he failed her. He felt as though he failed their friendship.

Ever since Dr. Pepper was small, he always got picked on, because he wasn't a racer like everyone else. When he struggled to pick himself up from the ground, she would always be there with an outstretched hand. She taught him what it truly meant to have a friend. The guilt of not being able to save her in her time of need hurt him deeply. He never felt so helpless in his life. It was his greatest drive that propelled him to become the great doctor that he was today.

"She would have been honored to have you for such a loyal friend." the king said sincerely. "Just as I am."

The doctor gave a saddened smile. "Thank you."

The doctor's heart became heavy. The reason he came here was not to reminisce about their friendship, however valuable it may be. There was danger afoot and the king had to know about it. "I have some bad news. This isn't easy for me to say", Dr. Pepper began.

"C'mon Pepper, we've known each other since we were small. We shared secrets, good times, and bad. You can tell me anything," the king said truthfully. Dr. Pepper was indeed one of the few people he would trust with his life no matter what the circumstance.

The doctor sighed. "You are infected."

The room went stark silent.

"What?" the king questioned in bewilderment.

Dr. Pepper took off his glasses and looked at the floor, contemplating on how to deliver the news. This was not an easy task. They were childhood friends and revealing such terrible news was no piece of cake.

"The spear that pierced your body was embedded with a virus." The doctor looked up at his king. The king looked back with the most worrisome of expressions. "When the spear stabbed you, the virus transmitted into your body. The red glowing surges and pixilation you've been experiencing are symptoms of it."

The king's breathing began to quicken. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"But that's not all", the doctor said uneasily. "The virus corrupted your code to the point that you can no longer regenerate in your own game. If you die, you die for REAL."

The room was silent as the gravity of the news came falling down on both of them. The king didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. He had so many questions. After some deep thought, the infected king finally broke the silence.

"Can the spear still infect anyone else?" the king asked worriedly. The last thing he wanted was to have a civilian go through the same pain he was in.

"No. The virus could only be transmitted once from the spear. Whatever Turbo's intentions were, the virus was only intended for you."

The king nodded in grave understanding. He had another question he wanted to ask. This one, however, he was afraid of knowing the answer. "W-Will I infect anyone?" the king asked hesitantly.

The doctor sighed. The king already knew the answer. "Yes. Any person you come in physical contact with the intent to kill will be infected."

Some of the weight on the king's shoulder began to rise. "Well that's not so bad. I've never really wanted to kill anyone befo-"

"The problem is this virus was designed to amplify aggression. It corrupts the code. It's survival is based on the fact that sooner or later, you will eventually want to attack someone and kill them", the doctor interjected.

The king sank low into his bed, all hope that was left in him was now lost. He could not believe what was happening. He was a threat to Sugar Rush, the candy people, and Vanellope.

"Is there nothing we can do?" the king asked in desperation, his spirit sinking.

The doctor could feel the guilt rising up. It was happening all over again. One of his closest friends was in trouble and there was nothing he could do to save him. The all too familiar feeling of helplessness returned with a vengeance.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Pepper replied sadly. Sorrow filled his heart. "But that is something I do not know."


	7. Chapter 5 - Corruption

Sugar Rush was in flames. Buildings lay in ruins. Candy people lay lifeless on the ground. The king was running slowly. Vanellope was cornered by an unknown form.

"Somebody HELP!" she cried in fear.

The king's heart panicked at the scene. He ran as hard as he could to reach his little girl. But something was wrong. His body was heavy. His movements were slow. What was going on?! Fear seized him as he looked on ahead at the horrific scene. He was not going make it. The form drew closer to his most prized possession of dearest blood.

"Noooo!" the king screamed.

His voice echoed into the cavities of the broken kingdom, but fell on deaf ears. Vanellope had been taken. The king dropped to his knees and trembled. He had failed. He had failed his little girl. He was a disgrace as a father...as a king. The silhouette of a man with a large head was laughing menacingly as the smoke outlined his form. His teeth were filed to fangs. The king wanted revenge. He wanted to kill. Kill. KILL.

He ran as fast as he could, the devil was all he could see. His kingdom had crumbled. Innocent lives were torn. Bodies lay lifeless in the rubble. Everything he held dear was taken from him. He had nothing left. Anger filled his heart. Closer and closer he ran. The demon was in his sights. He was not going to let him get away.

With each step the smoke began to reform. He could still hear his demonic cackles. A man could be seen standing in the shadows, his eyes glowed like the fires from the deepest pits of hell. But it wasn't Turbo. The king's eyes widened at the familiar form. There, with his menacing smile, was none other than the king.

The king sat up from his bed, breathing heavily. It was still night. The moon shone brightly through the bedroom window. Cold sweat trickled down his neck as he reflected upon the recent horrors of his subconscious. Vanellope laid snuggled beside him, sleeping soundly. Ever since the king left the hospital, she wanted to stay by his side. She didn't want to lose him again. To be honest, he thought it was adorable how much she cared.

"If that Turbo guy tries to attack you while you sleep, I'll knock his face so hard he won't be able to tell the difference between candy canes and chocolate!" Vanellope had chirped energetically, her spirit filled with confidence.

The king simply nodded in amusement.

"You know I'm right! Remember the time I gave you that shiner?" Vanellope reminisced nostalgically, a wide, toothy smile plastered on her face.

"You kicked me in the eye", the king retorted in frustrated annoyance.

He remembered it like it was yesterday. Vanellope and the king had just got back from watching a tournament from the Street Fighter game not too far away.

"Oh man! That was amazing! I wanna learn Hadoken! I can use it on YOU every time you make me take a bath!" Vanellope chirped teasingly.

"You'd need a lot more than a puny Hadoken to defeat someone like me", the king said confidently, affectionately shoving Vanellope with his hip.

"Oh it's on!" she cried, wailing her fists and charging towards her opponent. "Shoryuken! Devil Reverse! Soul Spark! Tiger Knee!…"

"Hahaha alright honey, give me a sec. I need to tie my sh-"

"FLASH KICK!" The last thing the king saw was Vanellope's polished, black shoe heading straight for his face. Vanellope raised her arms in victory as she soaked in the cheer from the imaginary crowd. "The winner!" she squealed victoriously.

The king lied dumbstruck on the ground. She did not notice the black bulge that started to protrude from his left eye.

The king shook his head at the memory; a small, frustrated smile curved his lips. She could really be a handful sometimes. Always making a mess and always making him clean up after her. To be honest, he thought he was spoiling her.

As he looked down at his sleeping daughter, he could see the moonlight kiss her gentle form. She looked so peaceful. The father carefully moved his hand over her face, gently pushing her hair to the side. She looked so beautiful. She looked so much like her mother. Well, except for her eyes. She had her father's eyes.

His breathing began to calm. Warmth began to soothingly relax his mind as he lied back down on his sponge cake bed. For the first time in a long time, he felt truly at peace. He didn't care if Turbo was in Sugar Rush. He didn't care if he was infected. As long as Vanellope was safe and happy, it was enough.

As the weeks passed, the king's condition grew worse. His body would pixelate more frequently with its reddish glow. His mind became increasingly clouded as his thoughts began to blur. Memories of the bitter past began to resurface, tormenting him from the inside.

"I just wanna race like you guys!" a little boy cried to the group.

"You will never be racer!" one of the racers yelled back, prodding the young prince in the chest. "Because you're a LOSER and that's all you'll ever BE!" The racer shoved the broken hearted boy into the chocolate mud.

He could still hear the kids laughing at him. They felt like daggers. The boy stared at the mud. His pain turned to bitterness. He wanted to hurt them. His fists clenched in the mud. His face contorted in anger as he held back his tears. He could not wait to become king. He could not wait to strike fear into their hearts.

The king rubbed his temples. "I thought I was passed all this", he said in frustration.

"Evidently not", Pepper replied bluntly, looking on ahead.

It was a cloudy day in Sugar Rush. The skies were covered in pink fluff as a storm of chocolate rain was forecasted to arrive soon. They were walking along a chocolate trail from the depths of the candy cane forest. Vanellope was ahead skipping along the jawbreakers that protruded from the ground. They made sure to keep enough distance so that she was out of earshot of their conversation, but close enough so they could keep an eye on her.

"And like I've told you before, bringing back hurtful memories of the past is the virus' way of making you vulnerable. It's putting you on edge so that you'll be more likely to attack someone on reflex", Pepper stated factually, looking at the tired king.

"And I've been having these dreams." The king looked at the ground, contemplating on the vivid horrors he suffered through the recent nights.

"What dreams?" Pepper replied concernedly.

The king sighed. "Well…Wait. Where's Vanellope?!" the king looked around in bewilderment.

So focused in their conversation, Pepper didn't realize her absence. The king started to worry. His heart began to beat faster. He looked around the forest in panic. Patterns of red and white were all he could see as the candy cane trees stood their ground. It was as if they were watching him. It was as if they were smiling at his misfortune.

His breathing quickened. He could not let the virus get the best of him at a time like this. "VANELLOPE!"

Vanellope continued her happy skip through the candy cane forest. Tree after tree she passed, one looking no different than the next. As she slowed her pace, she began to realize how quiet it became. She looked back, but no one was there. She was alone.

"Hello little girl!" a man said flamboyantly.

Her heart raced as she quickly turned around to see who it was. A small man with a large head crept out from one of the candy cane trees, a menacing smile was plastered on his large, pale face. "Would you like some candy?"

Vanellope knew who he was. Her eyes widened in fear. The final acts of his plan were coming to fruition.

Pepper and the king raced down the trail, looking around wildly for a glimpse of something green or black.

"A storm is coming. She cannot be out here alone like this!" the king cried.

Pepper nodded in agreement. They had already covered a quite a distance from the point her disappearance was discovered.

"Where is she!?" the king said worriedly, panic was in his voice.

"Shush! Listen! I think I heard something", Pepper whispered, looking around the candy cane trees quietly.

The two listened intently to the sounds of the forest. It was quiet, too quiet. The king shifted his eyes slowly, sweat dripped down his brow. His senses heighten at the urgency of the situation. He could feel the gentle breeze caress his fingers tips. He could smell the sweet scent of chocolate that saturated the air. Not a sound could be heard.

The king sighed and looked at Pepper. "I think we should mo-"

"DAAADDY!"

The two quickly turned their heads in alarm.

"This way!" the king cried, bolting off the trail and into a thicket of candy cane trees.

Pepper quickly followed suit. Tree after tree he passed, one looking no different than the next. He needed to find his daughter. He had to find his daughter! He weaved through the forest, swiveling by any obstacle that stood in his way. Pepper was close behind. They had reached an opening. Nothing but the forest was in sight. The king looked around in bewilderment, his breathing heavy.

"How nice of you to join us!" said a familiar voice.

The king began to tremble. Turbo walked out from behind one of the candy cane trees, holding struggling Vanellope tightly in his arms. "Let me go! Let me go!"

"Let the child go! It's me you want!" the king tried to reason, stepping forward. Fear gripped his heart as he looked into Vanellope's eyes. She was scared.

"Hold it! One more move and I break her neck!" Turbo threatened.

"She's just going to regenerate anyways, there's no point in this violence!" the king said, his heart filled with worry.

"So why is it, I wonder, you're so worried about her well being?" Turbo asked menacingly.

He already knew the answer. It didn't matter if she could regenerate or not. He knew the power of a father's love and his instinct to protect his offspring. Even if it was programmed in him, it was still there nonetheless. And soon, he was going to take it away.

Before Turbo could react, Vanellope stomped on his foot with all her might!

"EAHHH! You little-" Before he could finish, she quickly launched her elbow into his gut, weakening his grip on her.

This was her chance! With one, strong tug, she broke free and darted to her father's side. The king knelt down and embraced her in a tight hug, his heart filled with relief.

"Thank goodness", the king breathed. "It's over Turbo!" he said strongly, rising to his feet. "There is nowhere to run now."

"Who said anything about running?" Turbo asked amusedly. "I've got you right where I want you!" he said, laughing flamboyantly. "How have those nightmares been treating you, kingy? Must be quite a shock watching yourself kill your daughter every night."

Vanellope looked wide-eyed at her father. He did not look back.

"How did you-"

"Know?" Turbo finished. "Who was the one that prescribed you with the drugs that only made you weaker? Who was the one that kept telling you to allow those dreams to happen? Little did you know, he was only making it easier for me to gain access to your internal programming."

The king was in disbelief. He slowly turned his head to Pepper.

"Pepper, is this true? Tell me this isn't true!" the king yelled. He was distraught.

"I'm sorry. He threatened to come after my family if I refused."

The king looked away. His breathing became heavy. He had been betrayed by his closest friend.

"Now then", Turbo began, rubbing his hands. "Let's get started!"

A blinding surge of pain began flashing through the king's head. "AHHHHHHH! Wh-What's going...!?" The king flinched as he tightly gripped his head. His movements were sporadic.

Vanellope started to step back. Turbo was laughing menacingly. Pepper looked ahead in fear.

"What Dr. Pepper here forgot to mention, kingy, is that this virus not only turns you into a mindless killing machine, but also allows the infector to control the infected!" Turbo began to laugh hysterically. "With the power of the king, I will rule Sugar Rush! And soon, the entire arcade!"

The king dropped to his knees. The pain was too much to bear. He could no longer think straight. Memory after memory began flashing by his mind

"You will never be a racer!"

"You're not fit to be a part of this royal family!"

"I wish Mom was here instead of YOU!"

The king began to tremble. "No…no..."

They were all leaving him. He could see them all walking away. Their backs were turned on him.

"No! Please!" the king begged. He could not catch up.

A light began to consume them one by one. His loved ones were disappearing. Vanellope was the only one left.

"Vanellope please!" the king cried, his hand outstretched in an attempt to reach her.

She did not look back. As the light consumed the only joy that was left in his life, the king collapsed. There was no light coming for him. He felt so cold. He felt so alone. The darkness had consumed him.

"Wh-What's happening to him!?" Vanellope yelled, her eyes widened in fear.

Dr. Pepper took a step back.

His code started to pixelate wildly. His entire form glowed red, radiating the flames of his inner hell. His hands began sharpening to claws, his teeth filed to fangs. His raven hair grew 10 times its normal length, draping past his shoulders. He had a smile on his face. He began to cackle.

Turbo watched in excitement as the man rose to his feet. His shadow slowly overtook the child's small form. Vanellope looked up in fear. His eyes glowed red like the fires from the deepest pits of hell. A menacing smile curved his sadistic face.

A tear gently rolled down Vanellope's features. She did not know the man standing before her. He was her father no more.

"Ah! Spendid!" Turbo chirped as he walked towards his new ally. He could feel the power surging through his veins. His eyes lit with murderous intent. "As my first command,"- The skies began to darken. The rumbling and thundering drums of the cotton candy clouds could be heard high above. -"I order you to permanently delete"- Chocolate drops began trickling down his pale, hollow features. A sadistic smile was plastered on his face. -"Vanellope von Schweetz!"


	8. Chapter 6 - Malteser

The dark, pink skies showered the lands with chocolate rain. The rumbling of battle drums echoed high above. A man was walking towards Vanellope, his raven black hair drooping past his shoulders.

Looking into his eyes, Vanellope felt a cold chill run down her spine. It was like a bottomless pit of fire, eternally setting ablaze to anyone that dared meet his gaze. There was no remorse. There was no kindness. Everything that was once prosperous in his eyes was gone. His smile grew sadistically, revealing his sharp, twisted fangs.

He began to raise his clawed hand, prepared to carry out his orders.

"D-Daddy?" she hoped. She hoped he was still in there. She hoped he was still fighting deep inside. Such hope only a child could conjure. Such hope, Pepper knew, would never be fulfilled.

Turbo watched intently, a maniacal grin spread across his face.

Pepper looked on in worry. "Turbo, we cannot act too rashly. If she dies, this will only infuriate and unite the kingdom."

Turbo continued to watch, his yellow eyes transfixed on what was about to come. The king's arm had reached its final point, readying itself for the final strike.

"Turbo!" Pepper yelled in panic.

Vanellope looked up in fear. Time seemed to slow at the gravity of the moment. She couldn't escape. Her mind began to race as memory after memory flashed through her mind. The time she first sat in a race kart, the time she showered the floor with little gum balls while Taffyta was walking by, the time she vandalized every portrait in the castle. All of it flew past her.

Memories of her father began to resurface. The way he always joked and laughed at times when no one else would. The way he cared for his people and was always out of the castle to be with them. Everyone loved him. She loved him. He was their fire in the cold, the light in the dark. He was her father.

The warm smile he used to give her faded into the fiery eyes of the virus, turning her precious memories to ash. She could only watch as his arm began to fall.

Suddenly, an explosion boomed through the air like a cannon. A warm light began to emerge from the corner of her eye.

"HAVE SOME CANDY!"

A sweet seeker rocketed through the air, striking the king hard in the chest. Turbo and Pepper were stunned as they watched him fly straight into a thicket of candy apple trees. Cracks and crunches could be heard as the king barreled into the unseen forest.

The revving of an engine could be heard growing louder and louder as another fiery light shot off from the distance. This time, it headed straight for the ground. Chocolate dust filled the air, obscuring everyone's vision. Vanellope squinted and covered her face to prevent the dust from getting into her eyes.

Two bright, circular lights began making their way towards her. Tires could be heard screeching and ripping away at the ground as it propelled its host to his destination.

Vanellope watched as he came into view. A diminutive man with grey hair tufts and eyebrows could be seen. His skin was fair and had a cartoonishly large, bulbous nose. Wrapped around his small body was a purple tailcoat with a white vest, covered in glitter, lace collar, and cufflinks. His red bow tie looked like a crinkled, candy wrapper. He stomped the breaks hard, causing the kart to screech and slide to a halt in front of a confused Vanellope.

"Mr. Muttonfudge?" she questioned in disbelief.

"Quickly, get in!" he hurriedly replied, outstretching his hand for her to grab.

An explosion could be heard within the broken thicket of candy apple trees. The fallen king was back on his feet again. Vanellope quickly grabbed his hand and had him pull her in. The king had emerged through the broken thicket; an angry look was spread across his face. His eyes seared as his gaze met that of his attacker.

"Floor it!" Vanellope squealed.

"No need to tell me twice!" Mr. Muttonfudge replied excitedly, stomping on the acceleration pedal.

The kart began to drift violently, shooting bits of chocolate into the air as the tires dug against the chocolate ground. Clutching the throttle, Mr. Muttonfudge accelerated and shot off into the distance from once he came.

"Get them!" Turbo barked in anger, pointing a finger at the escaping duo.

The king shot off into a thunderous sprint. The dark ground trembled at the force each footstep made on impact as he pushed himself forward. His eyes locked on the kart like a lion on a gazelle. Vanellope watched in horror as her father slowly started to draw closer.

"He's gaining on us!" Vanellope panicked.

Mr. Muttonfudge quickly glanced at his side view mirror. His eyes widened as he could see the king's form growing. He had one sweet seeker left. If he aimed it at the king, there was a chance he would miss. If that happened, it'd all be over. Mr. Muttonfudge cranked his brain, begging for something that could get them out of this sticky mess.

As he looked onward, a cake-layer cliff began to emerge from the side. His eyes brightened, emanating the light bulb that had flicked on inside his head. His brows furrowed in concentration. He had to time this just right.

"Can't this thing go any faster!?" Vanellope screamed.

The king was getting close. Too close. His outstretched claws were a mere meter away from the rear of the kart.

"Hold it", Mr. Muttonfudge said in concentration.

Vanellope could see the look of malice on her father's face.

"Hold it", he repeated once more, preparing himself for the final act.

His claws were inches away. Vanellope shut her eyes as they shot past the cliff.

"NOW!" Mr. Muttonfudge yelled.

The rocket launcher aimed itself towards the base of the cliff and fired. A bright ball of fire impacted the colossal structure, causing a large rumbling to vibrate through the grounds. The towering behemoth began to fall. Large chunks of chocolate and icing began falling from the skies.

One after another, piece-by-piece, the land began bombarding the king. Each strike slowed his pace.

The kart began to pull away. It was as if Sugar Rush itself was helping them in their time of desperation. They had finally left the candy cane forest. Vanellope looked back only to see a silent pile of chocolate rubble and bits of icing. They were safe for now.

They were inside the Muttonfudge residence. A warm blanket was placed over Vanellope's shoulders as Mr. Muttonfudge brought her some hot cocoa. She took it gingerly, slowly sipping away at the warm, soothing substance.

Vanellope looked around the room. A roaring fire set the room with a warm, ambient light. Books upon books toppled over a desk. Pictures hung beautifully on the walls, further accentuating the warm, family atmosphere. Taffyta could be seen hugging her father affectionately in one of the family photos. Mr. Muttonfudge was smiling goofily as he always did.

He was very eccentric for a guy his age. He was one of the few veteran racers Sugar Rush had left. He was the lead racer of his time and aided the younger generations in refining the art of speed. For his kindness and wisdom, everyone, especially Taffyta, held him in high respect. She always looked up to him, seeing no doubt in the greatness of her father. She wanted to be just like him.

Vanellope's face began to sadden. Her father had been taken from her. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She was never going to feel that same warmth ever again.

"I'm sorry about your father, Vanellope", Mr. Muttonfudge said calmly, his goofy demeanor giving way to the sadness of the situation.

Vanellope sniffled, looking at the hot cocoa that warmed her hands.

"You know, it's funny how things unfold. Never in my mind did I expect seeing you in the candy cane forest," he said with a calm smile.

Listening to his voice, Vanellope thought it strange how scarily similar it sounded to Turbo. Yet, there was a softness and warmth in his voice that made it all the different.

"What were you doing in the candy cane forest?" Vanellope questioned. It seemed quite odd that he of all people would just pop out of nowhere and save her from her impending doom.

"I was collecting the sap from some of the sugar maples nearby. You wouldn't believe the wonders it can do in polishing your kart. You can also make maple syrup!" Mr. Muttonfudge exclaimed excitedly. "Anyways, I was just about to leave when I heard you scream. I came by to see what was happening until-" Mr. Muttonfudge paused upon seeing Vanellope's saddened expression. "I saw what happened to your father. It was a fate no character should endure. He was a good man."

"He was the greatest in the whole, wide world," Vanellope corrected sadly.

"You know, there was a time when I taught your father the art of racing."

Vanellope looked up in surprise and interest.

"In fact, I gave your father his first racing lessons. He was no older than you. And nowhere near as skilled," Mr. Muttonfudge laughed teasingly in nostalgic joy. "Ahhh, those were the days…"

"Daddy! What's SHE doing here?!" Taffyta stormed, appearing at the doorway. Vanellope almost spat out her cocoa.

"BAHAHAAHAA!" she roared in laughter, tears of hilarity forming in her eyes.

Taffyta was wearing her one piece, chocolate bunny pyjamas. A set of springy ears curved the top of her head and a small fluff ball for a tail protruded from her rear. It looked quite cozy actually, but sooooo adorable!

Taffyta's cheeks reddened at the reaction she'd received. "Hey, shut up! I don't need YOU judging MY fashionable taste!" Taffyta tried to retort.

Fashionable taste? This only made Vanellope laugh even harder.

"STOP LAUGHING!" Taffyta yelled, her face now completely flustered.

"Alright. Alright. Settle down girls. Vanellope is just staying with us for the night," Mr. Muttonfudge explained to his daughter.

"What!? But tonight's pancake night! I don't want to share our pancakes with her!" Taffyta complained uproariously, pointing a finger at Vanellope.

"Well tonight she is", Mr. Muttonfudge calmly replied. "And I don't want to hear anymore complaining. She is our guest. Am I clear?"

Although Mr. Muttonfudge was calm, Taffyta could tell when the next push would send her father over the edge. He was a very patient man, but when angered, could be very scary. Taffyta shuddered at the thought. She couldn't stop crying the last time he yelled at her.

One night, she had snuck out with his prized kart to show-off to her friends. "Hey guys, check this out!"

Screeching could be heard as she made donuts on the moon kissed ground. Smoke rose through the air as the tires tore away at the chocolate chunks of dirt. Unbeknownst to her, the tires her father installed the previous day were the first set he had ever used in a race.

Mr. Muttonfudge wanted to make his most prized kart something to be awed, appreciated, and inspiring, but never used. The wheels he installed added further sentimentality to his masterpiece as it reminded him of how it all began. The donuts she had made on the ground had greatly damaged the already delicate tires. They were old and worn out after all.

When he found out the next day, he had erupted. No one had ever witnessed him losing his temper as he did that day.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME, TAFFYTA!? THESE WERE MY FIRST SET OF WHEELS EVER! WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU DO THIS!?" His face was completely red; his eyes bulged out of his head. If one looked closely, they would think steam was shooting out of his ears.

"But I didn't know!" Taffyta cried, tears flowing down her distraught features.

"LIKE HELL YOU DIDN'T! NOT ONLY DID YOU SNEAK OUT PAST YOUR BEDTIME, YOU ALSO TOOK AND DESTROYED MY MOST PRIZED PIECE OF WORK!" Mr. Muttonfudge was fuming.

Taffyta sniffled, her lips quivered violently.

"WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF, YOUNG LADY!?" Mr. Muttonfudge waited for her reply.

Taffyta closed her eyes and took in a large breath. "WAAAAAAAAHHHHH-HAH-HAH-HAAH!"

They were all settled around the table. A steaming pile of pancakes laid piled up in the center. A warm, pouring glass of maple syrup sat quietly by its side, wafting the air with its seductively sweet scent.

"Dig in everyone!" Mr. Muttonfudge cheered, helping himself to a few pancakes.

Taffyta quickly piled as many pancakes on her plate as she could, reluctant in giving any pancakes to Vanellope. She poured the steaming pile with maple syrup, which flowed droopily down the sides of the flapjack tower. It looked absolutely mouth watering. Vanellope couldn't help, but wanting to do the same. She soon had herself a delectable pile of pancakes drenched in maple syrup.

The two looked at each other challengingly, knowing full well what was about to come. It was only a matter of who would make the first move. Forks held in hand, they sized each other up, waiting to react upon the slightest twitch.

Taffyta made the first move. She raised her arm and brought down her fork, stabbing the soft fluffiness of her pancakes. It was on.

Vanellope began her merciless rampage of stuffing every last bit in her mouth.

Mr. Muttonfudge sat quietly, cutting off a small piece of his pancake, dabbing it in maple syrup, and gently placing it in his mouth. He watched amusedly as the two stuffed their faces with whatever was on their plate. If he had put his hand there, they would probably eat that too!

They eyed each other as they scarfed down their tasty treats, shooting bits of fluff and syrup off into the sides. They were neck in neck, both almost reaching the bottom. Mr. Muttonfudge watched in mild excitement as to who would win.

Vanellope slammed her fork on the table. "HA!" she screamed in victory, pointing at Taffyta in triumph. Dabs of syrup could be seen on her brightened cheeks.

Taffyta furrowed her brows in detest. "You didn' haff ash muany pancakesh ash me!" Taffyta argued, her mouth still full. Bits of the sweet and fluffy substance could be seen shooting out of her mouth as she argued.

"Manners Taffyta," Mr. Muttonfudge warned.

Taffyta hmphed as she continued to chew, glaring daggers at Vanellope.

Mr. Muttonfudge looked on. It was a good thing those two butted heads. Otherwise, Vanellope would still have been saddened by the loss of her father. Taffyta always had a way of bringing everyone's attention on her, for better or for worse. His child. His sweet, spoiled child. "What's the point of having wisdom if I can't raise my daughter right?" he wondered amusedly to himself.

He remembered back in the day, he wouldn't have even considered the idea of having a family. Racing was his life. He wasn't going to stop until he was the best, damned racer the arcade had ever seen! Only one other shared that dream with him. He was once his best friend.

Back in those days, he wasn't nearly old enough to be called Mr. Muttonfudge. Everyone just called him Malty, short for his full name, Malteser Muttonfudge.

He was a springy, little guy in those days. Growing up with a wealthy family, he wore the nicest race suits gold coins could buy. His flowing, white hair was the signature of his family name.

"Hey guys check this out!" Malty exclaimed confidently, revving the engine of his father's prized kart. The children crowded around in awe.

In the early times when the arcade first opened, children characters from all over the arcade would come together and play. Everyone would be jumping from one game to another, sharing adventures and explorations that they would cherish until the end of time.

"Isn't this thing awesome! My dad has never lost a race with this baby!" Malty exclaimed proudly. Many of the children in the crowd awed at the gleaming artifact.

"That's because he hasn't faced me!" a boy in the crowd yelled confidently.

Malty looked on into the crowd, a grin spreading across his lips. "Alright, hot shot. How about you put your money where your mouth is! I challenge you to a race! Winner buys everyone drinks at Tapper's! You game?"

The other children turned their heads in excitement to hear the boy's answer. Malty was one of the best racers of his generation in the game of Sugar Rush, but the boy he challenged was one of the best racers in his own game as well.

The boy smiled passionately, his white jumpsuit glowing brightly. His white helmet was marked with its signature red 'T'. His yellow eyes brightened like the rising sun, shedding warmth on whoever was lucky enough to meet his hopeful gaze. "You're on!"


	9. Chapter 7 - The Truth about Turbo

As the days went by, so did the peace. The racers continued to play their parts as the gamers from Litwak's arcade continued to come in. At this point, Mr. Muttonfudge knew Turbo wouldn't dare try to attack Sugar Rush at a time like this. If he wanted Sugar Rush out of order, he would've made his appearance in front of the gamers a long time ago. No, Turbo was after something else.

A chill went down his aged spine. Deep down, Mr. Muttonfudge knew the truth about his old friend's intentions. Although the peace was secured for their game during opening hours, strange things started happening to the ones around them.

"Mr. Litwak! The game is busted!" a child called out from the noises of the arcade.

A kind, old man, with his striped uniform, strolled his way over to the boy.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked as he leaned forward, squinting his eyes at the Asteroids game screen.

"Something red started flashing on the ship and then the ship disappeared," the boy answered.

Mr. Litwak motioned the boy to the side as he tried to fix the game. But no matter what he did, nothing happened. What's worse, the game couldn't even end, because there was no ship to destroy.

"Well, here's your quarter back young man, I'll see if I can get this old thing working tomorrow. If not, well, it looks like it's time for this old timer to go", Mr. Litwak said sadly.

As he continued his casual stroll, a girl started calling his name. "Mr. Litwak! Something's wrong with this game!"

"Another one?" He thought to himself. There were always times when a game would break down on him, but two in one day? "What's wrong sweetheart?" he asked the girl politely.

"There aren't any centipedes or spiders to shoot at", she replied.

Mr. Litwak looked at the screen. Indeed, there was the ship and the obstacles, but no creatures in sight.

"They were there a minute ago, but then the centipede and spider started flashing red and went off the screen", the girl added.

More red flashing? Mr. Litwak didn't like it. If he didn't know any better, it sounded like the games had caught a virus. But viruses can't travel to different games like this. The only connection the games had with each other was their electrical cords through the power bar, and viruses couldn't travel through there. Or so he thought.

As Mr. Litwak returned the quarter to the little girl, a small blue light emanated from the electrical cord of the Centipede game. No one noticed as it made its way towards the power bar. Along with Turbo and the king, their new creepy crawly allies followed closely behind, eyes glowing red.

Turbo was laughing joyously as he felt the cool, gentle breeze wash through his face. "Well done, kingy! Well done! That's two more in addition to our army, and two games out of the arcade to boot!"

The king simply nodded as he continued looking unhappily towards the ever-growing hole that gave entrance to the breathtaking station.

"Hey, how can I enjoy my own victory if you're being such a stick in the mud!" Turbo yelled flamboyantly, his good mood slightly fading.

"It doesn't make sense", the king began.

Make sense? Turbo thought quietly to himself. He was supposed to be a mindless, killing machine! Nothing to him was supposed to make sense! "Go on", Turbo urged, curious as to what he had to say.

"It doesn't make sense that I'm a full grown man and I can't remember a thing before meeting you in that weird looking forest."

Turbo began to smile. "You know why you can't remember anything?" he asked a-matter-of-factly.

The king looked his way, listening intently.

"It's because those fools that were with us were trying to kill you." he smoothly lied. "But instead, they were only able to tear out your memory files before I intervened."

"But I don't even know them. Wh-"

"Tell me, kingy, how you feel when you see them?" Turbo asked, cutting him off. "Your memories may have been stolen, but the emotional circuitry that preserves your emotional bond with every sprite you've encountered in the past is still intact."

"I feel," the king thought carefully as he reflected upon the feelings he experienced not too long ago in the red and white woods. "I feel angry when I see them. It makes my code boil inside." The virus' claws began to clench the metal bars of the train.

Turbo mentally gave a sigh of relief. Even though the king's perceptive skills were intact, the virus' control over his rage was still holding strong.

Turbo looked at the king in mocked concern. "My friend, if you help me succeed in taking our army upon them, not only will I get you your memories, I will give you the chance to bring your justice down upon them."

The king looked on ahead as the train began to slow. A menacing smile slowly grew on his lips.

"Deal."

Pepper stood waiting at the entrance, signaling to the two that the coast was clear.

A roaring fire lit a cozy room, casting the walls with the gentle flickers of dancing flames. Books were stacked high and spread over across the floor, the aftermath of what had been a long and fulfilling journey on his quest for knowledge and wisdom. Mr. Muttonfudge sat on his chair; it's cushions gently pressing against the backside of his tiresome body.

Memories of the forgotten past began to resurface. All the times they had trained. All the times they had pushed themselves tirelessly to become the masters of their craft. They discussed everything from ideas, strategies, techniques, kart maintenance, and more to further polish and perfect the art of racing. Everyday was a new and exciting discovery. Everyday, they could feel the raw power attained from their newfound knowledge.

Mr. Muttonfudge's expression saddened. Everything had changed when the new Road Blasters game entered the arcade.

"Hey! Leave my racers alone!" a young Turbo yelled angrily.

The racers from Road Blasters laughed as they took one of the helmets from Turbo's fellow racers.

"You want this?" one of them held out the helmet to the frightened group.

Turbo eyed him dangerously.

He admitted he always acted cocky when defeating his colleagues at Turbo Time, but his intentions were always good-natured and never hurtful. Turbo's colleague was afraid, but shakily began to reach out for his helmet. His fingertips were just out of reach when the hurtful racer pulled it back, spat in it, and threw it to the side.

"Go pick it up", he said tauntingly.

Turbo's yellow eyes flashed as his hatred for them boiled his code. He could take it if they were picking on him, but bullying his friends? He would have none of it! He began to move forward, fists clenched. He didn't care if they were bigger than him. Letting them get away with hurting his friends was too humiliating for him to bear.

A hand firmly grasped his arm, holding him back. Turbo turned to meet the gaze of Malty.

"This isn't the way Turbo. You're better than this", Malty tried to reason with him, concern in his eyes.

Turbo could still hear the laughter insult him through the air, but Malty's calm demeanor began to lower his temper. He looked towards his pale group, humiliation and vulnerability in their eyes. "Let's go home."

They all abided quietly as they turned and began heading back to their safe home of Turbo Time. Malty looked spitefully at the racers, then concernedly at Turbo.

"Don't worry buddy. Soon everyone will know how much of a jerk those guys really are. They'll get what's coming to them." Malty said, trying to cheer up his friend.

"I'll make sure of that", Turbo whispered, too quiet for Malty to hear.

Later in the opening hours of Litwak's Arcade, two gamers began playing the popular Road Blasters game, a small, blue light began making its way to the game's electrical cord. The racer that spat in the helmet earlier was currently being controlled as the gamers directed his movements on screen.

"The graphics are so real!" one the boys yelled excitedly.

The racer grinned at this. Little doubt did he have that him and his boys would soon be the biggest stars of the arcade. It was going to be sweet.

"Turbotastic!"

The player jolted from his daydream as he looked through his front view window. A man, with his white helmet and signature red 'T', could be seen driving over the road.

"Turbo!?" the player thought loudly.

"What's he doing in our game!? Has he lost his mind? He's going to get us unplugged if this keeps up!" the hurtful racer said in shock.

Unbeknownst to him, that was exactly what Turbo's planned. Anger had filled his heart at the intolerable amount of disrespect his colleagues had so unfairly received. It hurt seeing how vulnerable they were. It was like kicking a puppy when it's already down. It's horrifying!

Anger fuelled Turbo's soul and his kart as he continued driving across the road, just in front of the controlled player so the gamers could see. "Turbotastic!"

Several times his actions forced the insensitive racer's car to hit a tree.

"Turbotastic!"

Several times he made the car explode into a heaping ball of fire, knowing full well that the pathetic excuse of a racer was still inside. A sadistic smile formed his lips as his yellow eyes began to grow cold.

"Mr. Litwak!" one of the kids waved to the keeper of the arcade.

Upon seeing the visage of Turbo on the Road Blasters screen, Mr. Litwak began making his way to Turbo Time. The smiling features of Turbo immediate dropped to one of dead, cold fear. Mr. Litwak was checking up on his game!

Turbo revved his engine hard as he began making his way towards Game Central Station, his heart beating wildly in panic. "Hold on guys, I'm coming!"

The characters in Turbo Time looked up in fear as Mr. Litwak inserted a coin. Turbo wasn't there. They all looked at each other in understanding to stick with the program and continued with their routines. Their eyes glanced at the screen from time to time. Fear gripped their hearts as a frustrated Mr. Litwak handled the seemingly broken controls.

Turbo could see the light at the end of the tunnel, marking the entrance to Game Central Station. "Just a bit longer!" Concern gripped his beating heart. He could not let them down. He was almost there.

Mr. Litwak pulled an orange paper from the side and brought it down on the screen, striking fear into all their hearts.

"We're out of order" one of the racers spoke in disbelief.

Panic began to ensue in the racing game. What were they going to do! Where was Turbo? "Everyone! Abandon ship! ABANDON SHIP!"

All the racers began making their way to the exit back to Game Central Station, each trying to carry as many non-racing characters as they could. The streets exploded with havoc. Children cried as their parents placed them in the awaiting racing karts, promising them that they would be close behind. The racers nearby saddened. They knew what the parents did they did out of love. This was their goodbye.

"Everyone, out NOW!" All the racers revved their engines as they headed towards the exit, their tires echoing in the long dark tunnel.

Turbo rocketed through from the tunnel of Road Blasters as the warm light of the station was brought down upon him. He was back. He sharply drifted, directing his kart straight towards the entrance of his game.

Something was horribly wrong. Sounds of metal clashing echoed in the cavities of Game Central Station. The plug that connected the station to his world was receding.

"No…No!" Turbo accelerated, going as fast as his kart would let him. Mr. Litwak was pulling their plug! He could hear engines revving as small, white figures began zipping their way from inside the tunnel. His fellow racers!

Closer and closer Turbo came to the entrance. He had to be with his family again. He needed to be with his family again! He could see their eyes light up as their leader graced their views. Concern was all that was on Turbo's face. He was so close.

A blue light shot out from the border, covering the entrance in its protective glow. Turbo was going too fast. He smashed right into the blue, transparent wall, only to be shot backwards, crashing into a nearby bench. The Surge Protector came rising from the ground, his eyes widened in horror at the people left trapped inside the tunnel.

Turbo drew his head up wearily, still trying to center himself from the crash. His consciousness forced himself to concentrate as his eyes met with that of his racers. Fear gripped his heart. He could hear their screaming. He could hear them crying his name for help. Turbo ran over to the blue officer.

"Surge! What are you doing!? We need to let them in!" Turbo cried, tears streaking down his scared features.

Surge only looked down in guilt. "I-I can't. I don't have control over the security of this station when the plug has been pulled too far. It's all run automatically now."

Turbo turned back to his fellow racers in panic. His hands pressed hard against the blue walls.

Children were crying and trembling. They were being pulled back into the game. Gravity began to conquer as one by one they were propelled back into the tunnel. The racers watched sadly as Turbo and the warm light of the station began to fade. Turbo was banging his hands on the walls. They could not hear it, but they could see him screaming.

"NOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOO-"


End file.
